Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly to visit Armenia for opening of embassy

YEREVAN, AUGUST 22, ARMENPRESS. Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly has said that she will visit Armenia in September to attend the opening of the Canadian embassy in Yerevan, the Armenian National Committee (ANC) International reported.

Joly made the announcement during a meeting with members of the Armenian National Committee of Canada in Montreal.

The humanitarian situation in blockaded Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) was discussed during the meeting.

In turn, ANC Canada said in a statement, "the situation in Artsakh is dire and therefore, decisive action must be taken to ensure the safety, security and self-determination of the population. These were the topics we discussed with Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Mélanie Joly yesterday in Montreal, where we presented several policy recommendations that Canada can put into action and help break the disastrous Artsakh Blockade."

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno Karabakh with Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) - ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. Moreover, Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations.

On July 26, Armenia sent a humanitarian convoy carrying emergency food and medication for Nagorno-Karabakh, but Azerbaijan blocked the trucks at the entrance of Lachin Corridor.